About Akainu being blackmailed by Ron for 50 million Berries, Aokiji had heard of it and took the opportunity to tease Akainu during a meeting. Little did he anticipate that he would find himself in a similar predicament.
"Boss, it's about time to call it off," Aokiji suggested, surveying the chaos in the tavern. Meanwhile, the towering figure of Kizaru, three meters tall, was frantically evading a persistent black cat.
The surreal scene left Aokiji momentarily dumbfounded. "You take care of yourself first," Ron advised with a smile.
Aokiji hesitated for a moment, sensing something amiss. The next second, Kizaru urgently whispered in his ear, "Quick...freeze this cat!"
Turning his head, Aokiji saw Kizaru pushing him towards Yoruichi. The audacity of selling out a teammate left Aokiji frowning, but he managed to resist the urge to voice his displeasure. Activating his fruit ability, he released a blast of cold air. Just as Yoruichi's claws were about to strike, the cat froze, encased in a block of ice.
"Huh... that was close," Aokiji sighed in relief, taking a seat and catching his breath. Real men, he mused, never look back at "The Explosion."
However, as Aokiji reached for his wine glass, he caught a glimpse of a sly smile on the corner of Ron's mouth. "Not good!" Aokiji's heart sank, realizing his impending fate. Despite his attempt to dodge, the ice cube behind him burst with a muffled bang, and Yoruichi's paw landed squarely on Aokiji's head. For a moment, all was chaos.
Aokiji felt his head spinning and used his hands to steady himself against the bar, preventing a collapse to the ground.
"Meow meow meow!!!" Yoruichi hopped onto the bar provocatively, glancing at Kizaru, Aokiji, and the Marine Admiral in a triumphant manner.
"Alright, the fun's over," Ron declared, grabbing a towel to wrap Yoruichi in his arms.
"Meow!" Yoruichi expressed slight dissatisfaction but made no attempt to resist, allowing Ron to gently wipe his icy body.
"Boss, what breed is your cat?" Aokiji asked with a wry smile, patting his dazed head. Kizaru, tending to his wounds, also looked curiously.
"Just a tavern's pet cat, nothing special," Ron replied casually.
Kizaru and Aokiji exchanged darkened glances. Whose pet cat could chase Marine Admirals around like this?
Seeing Ron's reticence, Aokiji decided not to press further. However, as he raised his wine glass, another concern crossed his mind.
Will Ron demand an exorbitant sum later? What if he doesn't have enough money, and Sengoku has to step in with Marine funds? The potential humiliation would be unbearable, especially considering how Marine's top brass would revel in the embarrassment. Akainu would undoubtedly mock him relentlessly during meetings.
Thinking of this, Aokiji shook his head with a wry smile, silently hoping, "I wish Ron would ask for less money."
As minutes ticked away, Kizaru and Aokiji struggled with the potent wine, managing to consume only half a bottle in half an hour.
Just then, the tavern door was kicked open.
Rayleigh entered with a wooden box in her arms, her expression radiating pride. At first glance, it was evident that her performance from the previous night had been exceptional. However, her confident strides faltered upon spotting a familiar duo sitting at the bar—Aokiji and Kizaru.
Ron looked up, offering a smile. "Did you bring the Devil Fruit?"
"Here it is." Rayleigh tossed the box over, taking a few steps back. With a smile, she added, "I've left the gas on at home. I'll be going now."
About to make her exit, Lucoa, while cleaning up the recent mess, teased with a smile, "Are you sure you don't want to sit down and have a drink?"
Rayleigh's heart tensed at the suggestion. Even if it meant upsetting Ron, she couldn't afford to offend this woman, or the consequences would be dire. But then, a second thought crossed her mind. Ron had explicitly stated that all fights were prohibited in the tavern, with consequences for those who violated the rule.
Deciding on a different course of action, Rayleigh confidently strode behind the bar, taking a seat next to Kizaru, and loudly proclaimed, "Serve me some wine!"
This unexpected move left Kizaru and Aokiji perplexed. The expected script seemed off. As a Marine, Aokiji assumed Rayleigh, a pirate, should flee upon encountering them. They even checked their cloaks of justice, as if to confirm their Marine affiliation. However, after the recent chaos, neither Aokiji nor Kizaru were in the mood to stir up trouble with Rayleigh.
Rayleigh changed her approach, suggesting, "How about you sell me all those pills? I used to be powerless against black holes, but after taking that pill, I spent a whole night exploring one!"
Ron raised an eyebrow, produced pills from under the bar, and handed them to Rayleigh. "Take them."
Opening the box, Ron revealed a fruit adorned with peculiar patterns.
"Can you detect what kind of fruit this is?" Ron inquired of the system.
[Ding, the detection is, Dragon Dragon Fruit. mythical zoan. Thunder Dragon Form!]
Ecstatic with the answer, Ron placed the fruit into the system warehouse, earning thousand hundred points for the mythical zoan. It seemed like a substantial gain.
Observing the Devil Fruit, Kizaru and Aokiji's pupils trembled. The value of the pills Rayleigh had taken was becoming increasingly apparent. Could they possibly exchange them for a Devil Fruit?
Curious, Kizaru nonchalantly asked, "Rayleigh, what kind of medicine is that?"
Rayleigh didn't hold back and proceeded to explain the pills' properties. The corners of Kizaru's and Aokiji's mouths couldn't help but lift with excitement.
Nice one!
Simultaneously, their eager gazes turned to Ron, clearly expressing their desire for similar pills. After all, who wouldn't want to grow taller?
"Everything is sold to Rayleigh; you'll have to buy from him," Ron said with a smile, handing over a bill. "By the way, the drinking money you two spent, plus the damage to the tavern just now, totals 50 million berry. Remember to settle the bill before you leave."
Aokiji smiled wryly, accepting the bill from Ron. Kizaru, shocked by the amount, contemplated bargaining but ultimately gave up, glancing at the black cat lying in Ron's arms.
"Why, were you two also fooled by that brat?" Rayleigh asked, taking a sip of the wine Rem had just brought. "Don't look so glum; I'll share an interesting story about Akainu from back then."
Both Aokiji and Kizaru leaned in, their eyes lighting up with curiosity.
Rayleigh began the tale, "At that time, Akainu was on a solo mission at sea and happened to run into us. The kid didn't say anything; he used Meteor Volcano as a firework, setting it off right above our heads. Roger got mad and used 'Ace' Well, Akainu is still quite brave..."